Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) is witnessing a deepening crisis rooted in decades of systemic neglect, with a grassroots protest movement that geopolitics commentator Ravi Verma has compared — in scale and trajectory — to the conditions that preceded the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, according to a report published in The Secretariat. The region came under sharp international focus following a police crackdown on civilian demonstrators, intensifying scrutiny of Islamabad's governance record in the territory.

The Roots of Unrest

The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) — a broad coalition of traders, activists, and civil society groups — has been leading protests in PoK since 2023. What began as an economic grievance movement has, according to Verma's analysis, evolved into a wider political struggle against entrenched power structures.

The immediate triggers include soaring inflation, high electricity tariffs, and the rising cost of subsidised staple goods. But the deeper fault lines run further: reportedly only one hospital serves every 1.5 lakh people in the region, and 50 per cent of PoK's population lacks access to clean drinking water — a deficit that, according to the report, contributes to more than 3,000 deaths annually from waterborne diseases.

Dam Displacement and Land Seizures

The construction of the Mangla Dam displaced over 1,00,000 residents of PoK, yet 80 per cent of the electricity generated by the dam is reportedly sent to mainland Pakistan, leaving PoK in chronic power shortage. The dam has also caused significant environmental damage, including soil erosion.

Compounding this, the Pakistani military has reportedly seized over 50,000 acres of agricultural land across PoK, repurposing it for military installations or leasing it to large commercial entities. In the Jhelum Valley, 2,000 acres of fertile farmland have been converted into military installations; in Muzaffarabad, a further 5,000 acres of productive agricultural land has been similarly repurposed, according to the report.

Despite attracting over one million tourists annually, local businesses in PoK reportedly receive only 20 per cent of the tourism revenue — a figure that underscores the economic marginalisation of the local population.

Terror Infrastructure Under Scrutiny

Verma's report further states that the Pakistan military has been operating terror camps in PoK through charity organisations including the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Idara Khidmat-e-Khalq, and Al-Rashid Trust.

The Indian government has repeatedly flagged Pakistan's alleged operation of terrorist infrastructure in PoK, citing active launch pads, training camps, and command hubs used by militant groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Several of these installations were reportedly destroyed by the Indian military during Operation Sindoor.

Notably, PoK residents themselves have protested against this terror infrastructure. In 2019, a peaceful demonstration in Muzaffarabad saw residents carrying banners reading, 'No more violence in our land' and 'We want peace, not militancy,' according to Verma's account.

A Broader Pattern

This is not the first time PoK has seen civic unrest, but analysts note the current movement is distinguished by its organisational depth and cross-sectoral participation. The JAAC's ability to sustain protests across trader communities, civil society, and ordinary citizens signals a structural shift in public sentiment — one that Pakistan's security apparatus has so far addressed primarily through force.

How Islamabad responds in the coming months — and whether it offers any credible economic relief — will likely determine whether the movement broadens further or is suppressed.